The farm cook & rule book

Any clean and tight hardwood barrel may be used to hold the brine, but a thoroughly washed and scalded molasses barrel is preferable. In case a vinegar barrel is used, it must be burned out on the inside as well as scalded and washed. If the barrel has any trace of bad odor after this treatment, a small lump of quicklime may be placed in a dish and set in it and a gallon of boiling water poured over it. The barrel is then covered while the fumes of the slacking lime sweeten it. After this, the barrel is washed and rinsed again. Salt, molasses or sugar and saltpeter are the preservatives commonly used in curing meat. Salt has an astringent action, that is, it draws the moisture from the meat and hardens the muscles somewhat. Sugar and molasses have the opposite effect and are therefore used with salt. They help keep the muscles tender and the meat from becoming too dry. Saltpeter is used to retain the natural color of the meat and is always added in small quantities. Sugar Cured Pork Sprinkle a layer of salt on top of a clean table and pile the bacons, tongues and hams on this, sprinkling every piece with salt. This table should be in a cool and dry room. After the meat has stood for 10 days, the pieces are washed off with lukewarm water. Make a pickle by dissolving 2I/2 pounds of brown sugar, 2 ounces of saltpeter and from 8 to 10 pounds of salt in 4 gallons of warm water. This amount of pickle is sufficient for 100 pounds of meat. Pack the meat in the barrel, after trimming off all the rough and hanging pieces, placing the heaviest hams and shoulders in the bottom and the bacons and tongues on top. Pour the cool brine over the meat, weight it down with a heavy block of wood, making certain that it is kept submerged all the time. Leave the bacons and tongues in this pickle from 4 to 5 weeks, the lighter hams about 6 weeks and the heavy hams from 6 to 8 weeks. Wash the meat in lukewarm water when it is taken from the brine to remove the scum and crust which may have formed on it. Dry 2 hours, hang in the smokehouse, let stand overnight and the next day smoke. If at any time during the curing the brine does not cover the meat, more water should be added. In case it shows any sign of fermentation, it should be drained off, boiled, cooled and then poured back over the meat. If the brine becomes ropy, the barrel should be washed out with scalding water while new brine is being made. Dry Cured Pork Weigh out 2% pounds of granulated sugar, 6 pounds of salt, 2 ounces of saltpeter and 4 ounces of black pepper. This is sufficient for curing 100 pounds of meat. Divide the sugar, salt and saltpeter mixture into equal parts, rub one portion over the cooled meat and pack it in a barrel. At the end of three days, take the meat from the barrel, rub with a second portion of the salt, sugar and saltpeter mixture, and repack. After standing 3 more days, the meat is removed from the barrel and rubbed with the last portion of the mixture and then it is repacked. Let stand in the brine formed 2 weeks. Then take from the barrel, wash off with lukewarm water, dry 1 hour and smoke. Pickled Salt Pork